General Appearance:
The Boran is a medium-framed breed with excellent muscling and appropriate body weight for its age. Every part of the body is balanced and proportionate, creating a functional, athletic animal. The breed displays clear sexual dimorphism. Bulls are noticeably larger, stronger and more masculine, while cows are feminine, refined and slightly smaller. Both sexes exhibit the distinctive Boran characteristics, including the hump, skin quality, muscling, head, muzzle, dewlap, tail and overall capacity.

Head:
The head is compact and broad between the eyes, with prominent brow ridges. The ears are relatively small and covered with short hair, while the muzzle is broad and the lower jaw is deep and strong with firm lips. The eyes, ears, muzzle, and nose are well-pigmented. Viewed from the side, the head has a slightly convex profile due to the well-developed musculature above the eyes, while the nasal bone remains refined.

Neck:
The neck is deep, compact, and well attached to both the shoulders and the head. In bulls, it is thick, powerful, heavily muscled and typically darker in colour. The prominent dewlap extends over a deep, full brisket that remains level rather than sloping.

Shoulders:
The shoulders are broad, deep, well-muscled and firmly attached. In fertile cows, the shoulder attachment may appear slightly looser.

Hump:
The hump is positioned directly above the forelegs, is rounded and well developed, and blends smoothly into the body.

Back and Loin:
The back and loin are long, broad, straight, strong and well-muscled, providing structural strength and carrying the weight of the animal effectively.

Chest and Midsection:
The chest is broad and deep, with well-filled forequarters behind the shoulders and elbows. The ribs are deep, well sprung and slope backwards naturally. Viewed from behind, the body should appear neither barrel-shaped nor flat-sided. The abdomen offers exceptional capacity in length, width and depth. From the side, the midsection appears square, while the flank is deep and well developed.

Sheath:
The sheath should be neat and well controlled, neither excessively large nor pendulous. It slopes forward and ends in a small, V-shaped, non-fleshy opening.

Rump:
The rump is long from the hips to the pin bones and broad throughout. It slopes gently at approximately 22.5 degrees from the hips to the pin bones. The hip bones should not be prominent, and the entire rump should be well covered with muscle. The hooks sit slightly lower than the pin bones.

Tail:
The tail head is not prominent, while the broad tail base sits slightly higher than the pin bones. The tail is long, tapering to a point and finishing with a large, dense, well-pigmented switch.

Thighs:
The thighs are broad, full and heavily muscled when viewed from both the side and the rear, extending well into the second thigh. The widest point of the hindquarters is at the stifle.

Hind Legs:
The hind legs are strong, correctly angled and set well apart. They should be neither too straight nor sickle-hocked, and neither too fine nor too coarse. Leg length should remain in proportion to the rest of the body.

Pasterns and Feet:
The pasterns are strong without being overly upright or weak. The hooves are symmetrical, upright and well pigmented, with straight inner walls, short toes and deep heels positioned close together. Weight should be evenly distributed across both claws. The forelegs are straight, and the coronet should be free from swelling.

Skin and Hair:
The skin is thick, loose, supple and preferably well pigmented, with minimal folds. The coat is short, glossy and naturally rich in oils.

Udder and Reproductive Organs:
The udder is well developed with medium-sized, well-pigmented teats. The vulva is well developed and pigmented. The scrotum is large with a narrow neck and should not hang significantly below the hock. The testicles are equal in size, while the scrotal sac is soft, smooth, untwisted and well pigmented, particularly at the tip.

Movement:
The Boran moves freely, smoothly and with natural elasticity. During movement, the legs and feet remain parallel without swinging inwards or outwards.

Temperament:
The Boran is renowned for its calm, manageable and even-tempered nature, making it well suited to both commercial and stud farming operations.